• Resources Recycling
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2018

This study aims to analysis the environmental impact on waste catalyst recycling technology using entire life cycle assessment. Environmental impacts consist of the five categories of impacts: global warming, resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, and photochemical oxide production. The waste catalyst recycling presently have a GWP 3.53 ton $CO_2$ equivalent/ton, a ADP 0.017 ton Sb equivalent/ton, a AP 0.051 $SO_2$ equivalent/ton, a EP 0.0092 $PO{_4}^{3-}$ equivalent/ton, a 0.0019 ton $C_2H_4$ equivalent/ton. The smelting reduction process is the greatest contributor to all categories of environmental impacts in waste catalyst recycling. Electricity used in the smelting reduction process is the major contributor of all impact categories.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2016

This study was to investigate the effect of salt stress on physiological characteristics such as plant growth, photosynthesis, solutes related to osmoregulation of Beta vulgaris. A significant increase of dry weight was observed in 50 mM and 100 mM NaCl. The contents of Chl a, b and carotenoid were lower in NaCl treatments than the control. On 14 day after NaCl treatment, photosynthetic rate (P_N), the transpiration rate (E) and stomatal conductance of CO₂ (g_s) were reduced by NaCl treatment. On 28 day after NaCl treatment, the significant reduction in g_s and E was shown in NaCl 200 mM. However, P_N and water use efficiency (WUE) in all NaCl treatments showed higher value than that of control. Total ion contents (TIC) and osmolality were higher than the control. On 14 day after treatment, the contents of proline (Pro) increased significantly in 200 mM and 300 mM NaCl concentration compared with control, whereas on 28 day in all treatments it was lower than that of the control. The contents of glycine betaine (GB) increased with the increase of NaCl concentration. The contents of Na⁺, Cl^-, GB, osmolality and TIC increased with the increase of NaCl concentrations. These results suggested that under severe NaCl stress conditions, NaCl treatment did not induce photochemical inhibition on fluorescence in the leaves of B. vulgaris, but the reduction of chlorophyll contents was related in a decrease in leaf production. Furthermore, increased GB as well as Na⁺ and Cl^- contents resulted in a increase of osmolality, which can help to overcome NaCl stress.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2002

Gourd seeds were irradiated with the doses of 0-20 Gy to investigate the effect of the low dose $\gamma$-radiation on the early growth and physiological activity. The stimulating effects of the low dose y- radiation on the early growth were not noticeably high, but were increased generally at 4-16 Gy irradiation group. The catalase and peroxidase activity of cotyledon from seeds irradiated with $\gamma$- radiation were increased at 8 Gy irradiation group. The photochemical activity of leaf was noticeably high at 4 Gy irradiation group. The photochemical yield of PSII, estimated as Fv/Fm, decreased with increasing illumination time by 50% after 4 hrs in the control and 8 Gy irradiation group, while Fo slightly increased. However, Fv/Em in the 4 Gy irradiation group decreased by 40% of inhibition, indicating that photoinhibition decreased by the low dose $\gamma$- radiation. Changes in the effective quantum yield of PSII, $\varphi_{PSII}$ and 1/Fo- l/Fm, a measure of the rate constant of excitation trapping by the PSII reaction center, showed similar pattern to Fv/Em. NPQ decreased by 70% after photoinhibitory treatment with showing similar pattern between the control and the irradiation group. These results showed the positive effect of low dose $\gamma$- radiation on the seedling growth and the reduction of photoinhibition in the 4 Gy irradiation group.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.558-568
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• 2011

Hazardous volatile organic compounds (HVOCs) have been increasingly getting concern in urban air chemistry due to photochemical smog as well as its toxicity or potential hazards. In this study, we investigated their concentrations and the properties in tunnel, urban roadside and residential area. As a result, among 36HVOCs measured in this study, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) and dichlorodifluoromethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, trichlorofluoromethane were detected above the concentration of $1{\mu}g/m^3$ in every sampling site and the most abundant compound was toluene. The other compounds were detected at trace level or below the detection limit. In addition, we found that three CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), such as CFC-12, CFC-11, CFC-113, were persistently detected because of the emission in the past. Toluene to benzene ratio (T/B) at tunnel and roadside were calculated to be 4.3~5.3 and at residential area 15.4, suggesting that the residential area had several emission sources other than car exhaust. The ratio of X/E (m,p-xylene to ethylbenzene) ratio was calculated to be 1.8~2.1 at tunnel, 1.7 at roadside and 1.2 at residential area, which means this ratio reflected well the relative photochemical reactivity between these compounds. Good correlation between m,p-xylene and ethylbenzene ($r^2$ > 0.85) were shown in every study sites. This indicated that correlation between $C_2$-alkylbenzenes were not severely affected by 3-way catalytic converter. In this study, it was demonstrated that the concentration of benzene was very low, compared with national air quality standard (annual average of $5{\mu}g/m^3$). Its concentration were $2.52{\mu}g/m^3$ in roadside and $1.34{\mu}g/m^3$ in residential area. We thought this was the result of persistent policy implementation including the reduction of benzene content in gasoline enforced on January 1, 2009.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.177-190
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• 2013

Air pollution trends in Japan between 1970 and 2012 were analyzed, and the impact of air pollution countermeasures was evaluated. Concentrations of CO decreased from 1970 to 2012, and in 2012, the Japanese environmental quality standard (EQS) for CO was satisfied. Concentrations of $SO_2$ dropped markedly in the 1970s, owing to use of desulfurization technologies and low-sulfur heavy oil. Major reductions in the sulfur content of diesel fuel in the 1990s resulted in further decreases of $SO_2$ levels. In 2012, the EQS for $SO_2$ was satisfied at most air quality monitoring stations. Concentrations of $NO_2$ decreased from 1970 to 1985, but increased from 1985 to 1995. After 1995, $NO_2$ concentrations decreased, especially after 2006. In 2012, the EQS for $NO_2$ was satisfied at most air quality monitoring stations, except those alongside roads. The annual mean for the daily maximum concentrations of photochemical oxidants (OX) increased from 1980 to 2010, but after 2006, the $98^{th}$ percentile values of the OX concentrations decreased. In 2012, the EQS for OX was not satisfied at most air quality monitoring stations. Non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) concentrations generally decreased from 1976 to 2012. In 2011, NMHC concentrations near roads and in the general environment were nearly the same. The concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) generally decreased. In 2011, the EQS for SPM was satisfied at 69.2% of ambient air monitoring stations, and 72.9% of roadside air-monitoring stations. Impacts from mineral dust from continental Asia were especially pronounced in the western part of Japan in spring, and year-round variation was large. The concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ generally decreased, but the EQS for $PM_{2.5}$ is still not satisfied. The air pollution trends were closely synchronized with promulgation of regulations designed to limit pollutant emissions. Trans-boundary OX and $PM_{2.5}$ has become a big issue which contains global warming chemical species such as ozone and black carbon (so called SLCP: Short Lived Climate Pollutants). Cobeneficial reduction approach for these pollutants will be important to improve both in regional and global atmospheric environmental conditions.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.296-302
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• 2005

We investigated changes in photosynthetic characteristics of P. davidiana in order to understand damage patterns to photosynthetic apparatus under drought stress. Root sprout saplings of P. davildiana were treated with $0\%,\;2\%,\;5\%,\;and\;10\%$ of 300ml polyethylene glycol (PEG) once a weer far one month. After one month, we measured photosynthetic parameters and analyzed the photochemical and $CO_2$ fixation systems. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and respiration rate in the leaves of P. davildiana decreased according to increasing stress strength. In the photochemical system, quantum yield of PSII was reduced by the increment of PEG concentration, The decrease of apparent quantum yield was related to reduction of electron transport. Respiration rate decreased with an increase in PEG concentration, whereas photorespiration rate in the $CO_2$ fixation system increased. In conclusion, photosynthesis of P. davidiana responded sensitively under drought stress, and the sensitivity depended upon the strength of water stress. P. davidiana exhibited an increase of water use efficiency under water stress.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.589-595
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• 2016

This study evaluated the environmental impacts for landfill treatment of the wastewater treatment sludge (WTS) from petrochemical firms by life cycle assessment (LCA) and reviewed the impact reduction by landfill gas (LFG) utilization. The functional unit was 'landfill of 1 ton of WTS', and the system boundary included the process of input and treatment for WTS in landfill site. The impacts were high at landfill process (LP) and leachate treatment process (LTP). Global warming (GWP) and photochemical oxidants creation (POCP) were high at LP, while abiotic depletion (ADP), acidification (AP), eutrophication (EP), ozone depletion (ODP) were high at LTP. The major substances of various impact categories were crude oil (ADP), $NO_X$ (AP, EP), $CH_4$ (GWP, POCP), $Cl_2$ (ODP), respectively. The major factor of ADP, AP, EP was attributed from the generation of electricity used in LTP, and the methane within uncollected LFG was main factor of GWP and POCP. Therefore, electricity consumption reduction is identified to be an impact improvement option, and the flaring system installation or enhanced LFG recovery could be an alternative to reduce impacts. Among the various categories, GWP accounted the highest impact (${\geq}90%$) followed by ADP, POCP. In the avoidance impact resulted from the utilization of LFG, to substitute B-C oil or LNG showed the impact reduction of 32.7% and 12.0%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2002

The effect of low dose $\gamma$ radiation on photosynthesis and the reduction of photoinhibition in red pepper plant was investigated. The seedling height leaf width and leaf length of pepper were stimulated in plants grown from seeds irradiated with the low dose of 4 Gy. The $O_2$ evolution in the 4 Gy irradiation group was 1.5 times greater than in the control. To investigate the effect of low dose $\gamma$ radiation on response to high light stress, photoinhibition was induced in leaves of pepper by illumination of high light (900 $\mu mol/m^2/s$). Pmax was decreased with increasing illumination time by 20% in the control, while hardly decreased in the 4 Gy irradiation group. The photochemical yield of PSII, estimated as Fv/Fm, was decreased with increasing illumination time by 50% after 4 hours while Fo did not change. However, Fv/Fm in the 4 Gy irradiation group was decreased by 37% of inhibition, indicating that the photoinhibition was decreased by the low dose $\gamma$ radiation. Changes in the effective quantum yield of PSII, $\Phi_{PSII}$, and 1/Fo-1/Fm, a measure of the rate constant of excitation trapping by the PSII reaction center, showed similar pattern to Fv/Fm. And NPQ was decreased after photoinhibitory treatment showing no difference between the control and the 4 Gy irradiation group. These results showed the positive effect of low dose $\gamma$ radiation on the seedling growth and the reduction of photoinhibition.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.178-185
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• 2014

This study investigates the characteristics of environmental impact from the construction phase of a high-speed railway through a Life Cycle Assessment method based on the materials used and the energy consumption of the equipment used according to the design statement. The results reveal that the contributions to environmental impact in the construction sector of a high-speed railway were 89% for civil engineering, 7% for the track system, 2% for stations and 2% for the energy and telecommunication system. In particular, the highest contribution to the impact in the civil engineering category were 54% for Global Warming, 25% for Abiotic Resource Depletion and 8% for Photochemical Oxidant Creation. The main influence factors were the use of remicon and cement. In future, the application of Life Cycle Assessment for the construction sector of railway construction will introduce efficient reduction methods according to the quantitative calculation of environmental impact.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.205-215
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• 2011

Ozone ($O_3$) is a main component of photochemical oxidants and a phytotoxic air pollutant. Although the current levels of tropospheric $O_3$ in East Asia could adversely affect productivity of forest tree species, risk assessments of $O_3$ impact were limited. In this paper, we summarize the methodology of risk assessment of $O_3$ on forest tree species based on our two previous studies, risk assessments of $O_3$ impact on the growth of Fagus crenata by Watanabe et al. (2012) and on the annual carbon absorption of three representative conifers, Cryptomeria japonica, Pinus densiflora and Larix kaempferi by Watanabe et al. (2010). $O_3$ sensitivity of each tree species obtained from an experimental study, $O_3$ exposure and atmospheric N deposition based on field monitoring and vegetation survey were integrated by geographic information system method. Based on the results, we conclude that the area with high risk of $O_3$ impact does not necessarily correspond to the area with high $O_3$ exposure. The varieties of tree habitat, tree sensitivity to $O_3$ and annual carbon absorption among the tree species, and N deposition-induced change in the $O_3$ sensitivity of F. crenata are raised as the factors of discordance between areas with high risk and those with high $O_3$ exposure. In the last part of this paper, we discuss the present uncertainty and perspectives of risk assessment for the future studies on the impact of $O_3$ on forest tree species in East Asia.